


Her name is Alice

by MyLadyDay



Category: One Piece
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Family Fluff, Humor, M/M, Parents, daughter - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-22
Updated: 2014-08-22
Packaged: 2018-02-14 06:23:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2181288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyLadyDay/pseuds/MyLadyDay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adopting a child for the first time changes everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Orphanages were never high on Zoros list of favourite places to visit, but this time was different. He and Sanji, after a long struggle, were finally adopting their first child. It was a bittersweet feeling, being in a building like that and knowing one of those kids will be going home with them. What Zoro didn't expect was another struggle, this time between him and his blonde; Zoro wanted to be a proud father of a son that he would teach kendo while Sanji wanted a little princess to spoil rotten. This was really a problem in itself, after all, they had their differences in any aspect of their life together, but they needed to decide soon.

"Come on, cook, you can't seriously tell me you never wanted a son." Zoro argued. He didn't really buy it. Every man wanted a son.

"I'm not a Neanderthal like you, Marimo, and I think we should have a lady in the house to make up for all the unnecessary testosterone." Sanji was calm and relaxed, but Zoro could see past that exterior. He held women on a high pedestal and having a daughter would make Sanji the most annoying man alive. She would have him wrapped around her little finger before she could even talk properly.

Zoro sighed. He knew any argument with Sanji was futile; he had a way of getting what he wanted from his marimo, but this time he had to win. Raising a boy was easy and he could see himself be a good father, but there was not telling how he would raise a girl. He didn't know a damn thing about them, other than the fact most of them were cunning and plain evil. At least the ones he knew. He didn't know what he would do, how he would act and if a girl would even like him. It was no secret that he was somewhat scary to grown people, let alone a small child.

They were standing in a hallway; they didn't even get to go in and meet any of the children because they started arguing and the social worker gave them some time to sort things out. Sanji was craving a cigarette by now, the issue of their childs gender tearing at his nerves. Neither of them thought of this topic until now. They were together for years and in the typical Zoro/Sanji fashion, a decision to adopt came as suddenly as their relationship started all that time ago. Amidst all those struggles to actually get the right to have a child, the question of whether it should be a boy or a girl never crossed either of their minds. The time for making a real decision was now and they were no closer to an answer than they were before.

"What's wrong with having a girl?" Sanji spoke after taking a deep breath.

Zoro was silent and avoided eye contact. Sanji could swear he saw a hint of a blush creeping on the marimos face. He said nothing as he waited for Zoros reply.

"I don't know how to act with girls." he spoke softly, voice barely above a whisper. It was an embarrassing thing to say. He was a great swordsman with no knowledge of the word fear and here he was, in the middle of an orphanage being afraid of adopting a girl. This brought a smile to Sanjis face; seeing his big strong scary partner blushing because he can't handle a little girl was a once in a lifetime sight.

"It's the same as boys, marimo. It's not a big deal." Sanji didn't really know how to explain it to the stubborn man. Whatever the child was, it would be theirs and they would love it. The marimo was just being cute with his insecure demeanour; Sanji knew he would be a great father, but he had to help him with his insecurities before they start a family. It was no secret Sanji wanted at least two kids. After all, he never had a real family or any siblings and he knew how lonely it could be, being an only child. Watching his blushing (and scowling) significant other, he decided that he could grant him his wish and agree on adopting a boy.

Sanji sighed and spoke "Okay."

Zoros head snapped up and he stared at the cook. He did mean what he thinks he did, right? They are adopting a boy? His mouth curved upwards a bit, enough for Sanji to tell how happy the other was.

"But the next one will be a girl and you can't say anything against it." Zoro was full on grinning at that point. This was really happening, they were having a son. Zoros grin made Sanji smile too; he was okay with this if it meant seeing the marimo this happy.

"Well, let's go find the social worker and do this." Zoro said, he was too happy to stand still. They started walking down the hall when they were interrupted by the sound of Beethovens fifth symphony coming from Sanjis pocket.

"Shit, it's the restaurant. You go find her and I'll try to keep this short." Zoro nodded and continued down the hall while Sanji answered his phone and made his way outside. He lit a cigarette while listening to his sous-chef rant about a late delivery of vegetables and something or another about fish. Usually, Sanji would listen intently because it was his restaurant, his dream and everything had to be perfect, but at the moment, starting a family was more important and he couldn't bring himself to care about whatever was wrong with the fish. He tried to end the conversation as quickly as possible, he'll be at the restaurant soon enough. The cigarette was finished quickly after he hung up and he stepped back into the building. Finding the marimo was an easy task, his green hair made him an obvious target.

The last thing Sanji expected to find, though, was the scene that he was observing through an open door. The marimo was sitting on the floor of a room with at least seven children, the social worker sat on the couch behind him while he had a small blonde girl in his lap. Sanji couldn't see her face, but it was obvious she was showing the marimo a doll or some other toy like that. The marimo was smiling and talking to her with his voice hushed, like it was just the two of them. The other kids weren't paying any attention to them and she seemed to be the only girl in the room. Sanji found it intriguing, how the marimo managed to take a liking to the only girl in the room when they finally decided on a boy. It brought a smile to the blondes face, watching a usually dangerous man sitting on the floor with the tiniest girl he'd ever seen and playing with her like he were a child himself.

Zoro could almost feel that he was being watched and turned his head towards the door, smile still in place. He could see his blonde observing and smiling at the scene before him. He was well aware that they argued only minutes ago and agreed that they would adopt a boy. Finding the social worker was easy and he told her that they decided on a boy under the age of five. She lead him to a room and brought a few boys with her only moments later. What he didn't expect was a tiny blonde girl with big dark eyes wearing the smallest blue dress he has ever seen. She followed the group of boys; she appeared very small, clutching a big white stuffed rabbit with her little pale arms. Zoro was immediately reminded of his own blonde, even though her hair was a paler color, but her eyes struck him the most; they were dark gray, almost like his own. She noticed him right away, but instead of being frightened like the boys were, she had a determined look on her face. Still clutching the rabbit, she walked toward him and looked into his eyes the best she could. After all, she barely reached his knees. He didn't know what to do, this was an unexpected turn of events and the social worker stepped outside for a moment to deal with something else.

The girl tugged at his pants and he lowered himself to the floor. She looked him right in the eyes and said "Will you be my daddy?". Her voice was as small as she was and equally gentle. In the privacy of his own mind, Zoro had to admit that she was adorable. He could understand why Sanji wanted a daughter. Looking around, he could see all the boys kept away from them and she was the only one brave enough to approach him. As brave as another blonde he knew.

"What's your name?" he asked, feeling himself melt a little as a result of the simple question she asked.

"Alice." she said.

"Aren't you afraid of me, Alice?" he asked, not really sure why, but he felt like he had to.

"Why would I be afraid?" the confused look she was giving him made him smile.

"No reason. You want to sit with me for a while?"

She nodded and to his surprise, sat on his knee with her feet on his boot. She was so tiny, he felt like he needed to protect her at any cost; he placed an arm behind her so she wouldn't fall from her seat. The social worker returned and sat on the couch behind him, watching them intently.

"What's your name?" she asked him, curiosity painted on her little face.

"Zoro. And who's your friend?" he patted her bunny between his ears.

"This is Sir Bun Bun. I think he likes you, too." she smiled and it made his heart melt. He turned his head and saw another blonde looking at him with a smile. Those two blondes were so similar, he knew they would be the death of him and he already knew that they were taking Alice home with them. Seems like Sanji won't be the only one wrapped around her little finger. Zoro sighed and turned to tell his decision to Sanji, who without a doubt knew it already.


	2. Chapter 2

"Daddy, come on~, hurry!" Alice exclaimed, holding onto Zoro's head with one tiny hand while the other stood proudly in the air like a call for attack matching her battle cry. She was sitting on the marimo's shoulders as he held her legs tightly in place while he ran down the grassy slope. He was running towards the ocean, a big smile on both their excited faces while Sanji stood by the car, looking at the silly oaf. The blond groaned out of habit at having to carry all their things by himself, but couldn't really bring himself to actually care; watching those two reach the water with joyous cries made him smile again. He followed down the slope, slower and showing less excitement than the two before him, but he was, in reality, just as giddy on the inside. It felt like the blonde little girl that Zoro was trying hard to hold in place while she squirmed on his shoulders had been their daughter since she was born, not only for the last few months. It was nearly impossible to pry the marimo from her most of the time and Sanji found himself smiling at the sight of Zoro finally lifting the girl from his shoulders and settling her against his chest; the big bad marimo wanted a son only a few months ago and Sanji used every possible opportunity to remind him of the fact he turned into a big softie for a little girl. Taking her to the beach for the first time had also been his idea.

Sanji was quick to find the perfect spot on the sand and put all the stuff down before spreading a blanket and placing a parasol for some shade. The sound of Alice's whining voice turned his attention to the approaching pair.

"But I want to go in the water." she pouted at Zoro and Sanji could see the brute was using all of his willpower to not crack under the adorable plea. She had him wrapped around her little finger and she knew it.

"You don't know how to swim, Bunny." Zoro told her, still averting his eyes from the pout she held stubbornly in place. Sanji could barely suppress the giggles that threatened to leave his mouth; the nickname Zoro gave the girl when they first brought her home was still funny to hear from a scary man like the marimo. Zoro heard his lover trying to cover his laughter and glared at him before an idea formed itself. He grinned victoriously as he looked at Alice.

"But your papa is a good swimmer and I'm sure he'd love to teach you."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Alice shrieked in excitement and stretched her arms towards Sanji. He wasted no time in taking her from the smirking marimo; getting his daughter all for himself was hardly a punishment to Sanji, but Zoro was well aware how the little blonde was a ball of endless energy. Sanji didn't stand a chance against her puppy eyes and he sighed.

"I'll take you swimming, princess." he said with a soft smile and she smiled back. "Marimo, go get the cooler from the car and lock up." he added, turning his attention to Zoro for a moment. Zoro only shrugged, stroking the girl's blonde hair then, with a smirk, stroked Sanji's as well before fleeing to the car. Sanji just scowled at the marimo's retreating back, but quickly turned back to the child in his arms and immediately smiling at her. She had that effect on them both; it was funny how an overly energetic little girl managed to constantly remind them of what they had and how lucky they, in fact, were.

Sanji put her down on the warm sand and she was ready to leap for the ocean as soon as her feet hit the ground, but Sanji still had a hold on her.

"You have to wait, princess," he said as she calmed down enough for him to remove his hands. "First we both need sun block and you have to wear these," he added, showing her the still deflated blue floaties. She pouted again, clearly impatient, but didn't complain as Sanji covered her with sun block from head to toe. Her nose was white from all the layers Sanji insisted on by the time Zoro returned from the car. The marimo was about to laugh as Sanji proceeded to cover himself in a ton of sun block as well, but the blond stopped him in time and demanded he inflates the floaties for the impatient girl. Still not used to having a child around at all times, Sanji almost let slip an inappropriate comment about Zoro blowing something, but managed to shut himself up in time. Zoro, however, seemed to know what was left unsaid and simply smirked at his significant other. The smirk itself said more than enough and Sanji decided he better get into the cold water before he gets too hot.

Taking the floaties from the marimo, Sanji turned to Alice and sat in the sand in front of her.

"Okay, we put these on and then we can go into the water," he told her and couldn't help but smile affectionately at her excitement. She was almost jumping in front of him as he tried to pull the floaties on her arms with the marimo laughing behind them. Finally done with the simple task that almost turned impossible with the girl's fidgeting, Sanji picked her up and started for the water. Zoro trailed close behind as he wouldn't miss this for the world; adopting Alice brought a lot of firsts for the two, but they had missed a lot with her anyway like her first words, he first steps…

Sanji stepped in the water with Alice still safely in his arms. He had always loved the ocean and finally getting the opportunity to share that love with his daughter was an experience he had thought wouldn't be possible for him after he fell in love with Zoro. Yet, there they were, a family like no other, looking out over the glimmering surface of the calm water. Even Alice stopped fidgeting and followed her papa's gaze while Zoro stood behind them, observing the two blonds he couldn't imagine his life without. Sanji lowered the girl on the sand just beyond the water line, but didn't let go of her hands. Zoro watched as his lover grinned happily at the girl as she watched her feet carefully while stepping in the water for the first time. The two proud parents melted at the squeal of delight that escaped her lips. Sanji led her into a deeper part of the water; it only reached her waist, but it was deep enough for her to float. Zoro wasted no more time watching them and he took the few steps needed to reach the blondes. He sat in the shallow water next to Alice and watched as Sanji got into his element.

He held Alice tight as she demonstrated the motions with her arms that Sanji showed her only moments ago. She was extremely focused, her tongue sticking out just a bit from the corner of her mouth. Zoro noted that Sanji wore a similar look on his face as he showed her how to float and paddle with her legs. With encouraging words that weren't strictly necessary since they adopted the bravest little girl ever, Sanji held her little waist as she let go and started paddling across the shallow end of the water. With an expression of overwhelming pride, Sanji locked eyes with Zoro and smiled at him; the marimo had a hard time containing his own pride, even when it was something so trivial.

Sanji was slowly moving towards the deeper water, at Alice's requests, as she still paddled in front of him still locked safely in his hands. He couldn't help but laugh with her, especially when he heard quiet chuckles from the marimo behind them. Zoro moved closer and locked his arms around Sanji's waist just as Sanji let go of Alice; she claimed she was ready to try on her own and she was. The two of them stood still, swelling with pride as they watched her splash her way through the water.

"This was the best decision we ever made," Zoro whispered into Sanji's ear.

"Going to the beach?" Sanji asked with slight confusion, his eyes still on the little blonde doing the doggy paddle some feet away from them.

"No, dumbass," Zoro rolled his eyes. "Getting a daughter."


	3. Chapter 3

"Bunny, what are you doing up?" Zoro asked with a stern voice. He didn't even avert his gaze from the TV. Sanji lifted his head from the marimo's shoulder in confusion and looked around until he spotted the little miscreant creeping from the dark hall towards the couch where the two sat. Zoro was sitting on one side of the couch with Sanji half lying on him as they watched TV.

She was clutching her stuffed rabbit that got her the nickname. "I can't sleep," she muttered before running across the carpet and jumping up into Zoro's lap. Sanji chuckled lightly and got up, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before disappearing into the kitchen. Zoro pulled her closer to his chest as she curled up around her toy in his arms. It was becoming a bedtime routine for the three; one of the two would put her to bed and they would then have some alone time which she would interrupt some time later saying she couldn't sleep. Zoro would hold her while Sanji made her hot chocolate or warm milk with cinnamon or anything else that might help her sleep.

Sanji came back a short while later, holding her very special cup and Zoro took it carefully. The cook sat back down and curled up around his princess, leaving Zoro with a lap full of blondes. He sighed in mock exasperation and continued watching the show that was still playing on TV. The marimo really didn't see what was so scary about it, questioning the shit cook's ability to discern what could be considered a scary movie. Or a show, in this case, one about two brothers in a pretty nice car, saving people and hunting things. They had been watching it for a while and Zoro failed to see the overwhelming horror that Sanji swore was present. In hindsight, watching anything akin to horror with Alice in the room was a bad idea. It was only when the episode featuring a psycho girl with a knife trying to murder a family ended that Zoro realized he was a dumbass.

Now with two shivering blondes in his lap, Zoro turned off the TV.

"Daddy, can you sleep in my room tonight?" Alice asked with a small voice; she was usually brave, but apparently she had limits too. Sanji lifted himself from his resting place and pulled her into his own lap.

"It's okay, I'll sleep with you, sweetie," the cook told her, but his voice wasn't exactly the steadiest. He looked around the room with a thoughtful look on his face before his gaze settled on Zoro for a few moments. "Maybe we should sleep in our room," finally he said then looked at Alice. "So daddy isn't afraid of sleeping alone."

Normally, Zoro would have retaliated and said something equally insulting, but Alice was living with them for a few months already and he had learned fairly soon that he should keep most of the things he thinks to himself. Especially the insults he would usually tell Sanji on a daily basis. Still, he could do things that would embarrass Sanji without her knowing it. With that in mind, Zoro set the empty pink cup on the coffee table and rose from the couch. Sanji seemed mildly interested in the marimo's actions, but not enough to actually avert his attention from the scared looking girl in his arms. He missed the smirk on Zoro's face as the marimo reached down and hooked his arms around the small of Sanji's back and under his knees. Before Sanji could even let out anything more than a startled yelp, Zoro was walking across the living room to their bedroom.

Alice was fairly amused by the course of action, but it did little to ease her fear. Zoro managed to flick the light switch on his way in before gently placing them both on the bed. She was already ready for sleep, wearing a tiny nightgown and teeth already brushed, but Sanji was still in his jeans.

"Go change, curly, I'll stay here," he said with a gentle voice, looking at the adorable little pout Sanji wore. Zoro picked up the equally adorable tinier blonde and she immediately hooked her arms around his neck. Sanji had no other choice but to take his boxers and a shirt before going to the bathroom. He would never admit it out loud, but he was slightly scared. No, not scared, maybe a bit on edge, but it was a valid feeling. It was. He was convincing himself that he was not a sissy for the way he felt all the way to the bathroom and once he realized there was almost the whole apartment between him and the safety of the bedroom, he shower faster than ever before. As soon as he had those boxers and the shirt on, he darted through the dark apartment and only skidded to a halt in front of the bedroom door; letting Zoro see how a stupid show was affecting him wasn't an option. It was one thing that their five year old daughter was afraid, but he was a grown ass man, for fuck's sake.

Relief flooded his system as soon as he entered the room and found Alice nestled comfortably into the middle of their bed, the stuffed rabbit safely in her arms. She looked even smaller under the big fluffy comforter. Zoro was sitting next to her, his legs stretched out on the bed. He got up as soon as Sanji slid under the covers and kissed Alice's forehead. Sanji hugged her immediately, but she looked at Zoro and barely audibly said "Daddy, I'm still scared."

He smiled at her; the smile Sanji only ever saw directed at him before Alice came along. Zoro came closer and caressed her cheek, bringing his lips to her ear and whispered something that seemed to reassure her. She settled into Sanji's embrace and closed her eyes while Sanji shot Zoro a questioning look. The marimo shrugged it off and left the room, probably went to the bathroom. Still, Sanji was somehow reassured himself after seeing Alice calm down considerably. Zoro came back quickly and turned off the light before the cook could even see him, but his mere presence lulled him into a daze. He was almost fully asleep when he felt a brush of fingers on his cheek and a kiss on his forehead.

Sanji couldn't believe he had fallen asleep as fast as he did and judging from the peaceful looking girl in his arms, so did she. Still, they were alone in the bed and the marimo's side looked like it had been empty all night. Sanji gently untangled himself from the covers so as not to wake his princess and got out of bed. He had no time to look around when a soft snore alerted him to the marimo's presence, even when he didn't see the man. Walking towards the foot of the bed, Sanji slowed with confusion as he saw a tuff of green hair peeking over the edge of the bed. He looked over the edge and couldn't help but smile at the adorable sight; Zoro was sitting on the floor cross legged with his white sword resting over his legs. It didn't take long for Sanji to realize what the other told Alice to calm her down. The cook walked over and pressed a kiss to the soft green hair before making his way to the kitchen. After all, the brave warrior deserved breakfast for staying up all night and protecting the princess.


	4. Chapter 4

Sanji barely made it to the kitchen before he heard tiny footsteps following him on the tiles. He turned around and sighed as he caught sight of the still sleepy blonde standing barefoot on the cold tiles. She was scooped up immediately despite the stern look he was attempted to give her.

"Princess, you can't walk around barefoot," As soon as the words left his mouth, she was giving him her best lost puppy look; one that worked on him every time.

"I'm sorry, papa," Alice said twiddling her thumbs in the limited space between them.

Sanji chuckled at her as he walked through the apartment, reluctantly letting the marimo wait for breakfast a few minutes longer. Zoro still slept in his guarding position on the floor with the sheathed sword on his lap. The two passed the open bedroom door silently and entered the little girl's room. The room was a world of it's own, filled with colorful stuffed animals, toys and drawings; letting a 5 year old pick out everything except the furniture wasn't exactly their brightest idea, but at least she was happy. Sanji placed her on the bed and despite being reluctant about it, she let go of him as it was a routine they went through every morning.

Alice rose early just like Sanji; every morning, she would wake up and walk to the kitchen in her nightie, Sanji would scold her for walking barefoot on the cold floor then carry her back to her room. He would pick out her clothes and get her dressed, even though she would be able to do it herself if she really wanted to. So while Sanji went through her dresser, Alice sat with her feet dangling over the edge of her bed. Choosing a green dress, which was coincidentally her favorite since it was the same color as Zoro's hair, Sanji dressed her with practiced ease. She protested at the socks and shoes, simply because she enjoyed walking around barefoot, but still let him put them on.

Once the girl looked completely adorable in her marimo dress and black shoes, Sanji scooped her up in his arms again. "Papa, can I make breakfast with you?" she asked as soon as he started walking to the kitchen, picking up a hairbrush on the way.

"Of course, princess," he replied with a grin plastered on his face. He had wanted a daughter for a while; that part came true for him as soon as Zoro fell in love with the little blonde, but never would he imagine that she showed some interest in cooking. The culinary arts held a huge part of his being, the other parts belonging to Zoro and since recently Alice too, but the one simple question that made it's way from her tiny lips brought it all together. Zoro's talents in the kitchen boiled down to making coffee or tea after one excruciatingly bad attempt at making pancakes. He could manage making toast, burning it only once in every five or six attempts, but he mostly steered away from Sanji's sanctuary.

Sanji didn't even try hiding the grin as he placed Alice on a barstool in the kitchen, twirling it around so he could brush her hair and style it in a way that wouldn't bother her. She dangled her legs from the stool, humming some tune she had heard somewhere along the line, but it sounded very much like something he would listen to while cooking; some jazz, maybe 50s rock or pretty much anything Zeff used to listen to when Sanji had been Alice's age. The brush went through her gold locks in time with her humming until he recognized the tune. Sanji started humming along, prompting Alice to hum louder until she started singing the few lyrics she knew. Together, they hummed through the whole song until Alice's hair stood soft and smooth in a perfect pony tail. For a man that showed absolutely no knowledge about women, Sanji possessed a superb talent for styling a girl's hair.

"Done. We can start breakfast now," Sanji spun her around again until he came face to face with his daughter. "What do you want to make?"

Alice lifted her hand and propped her chin on it, all the while frowning in deep concentration; a facial expression not unlike the marimo's face when he would focus on his training. "Pancakes!" she exclaimed after a moment of thought. "Blueberry pancakes for us and the salty ones with cheese for daddy," the girl added after another short pause. Sanji chuckled at her suggestion, amazed by the fact that she noticed and remembered the things they both liked.

"Let's make the marimo's pancakes first, then," Sanji lifted her onto the counter and she settled on the pristine surface so she could help with the preparations.

"Papa, aren't you forgetting something?" Alice asked as Sanji rummaged through the fridge. The question made him stop, the cogs in his mind turning as he searched for an answer, but found nothing. "You usually play some music," finally she saved him from the confusion he found himself in. He looked at her with a questioning gaze.

"You like the music?" he asked while walking over to the gramophone his old man bought a long time ago. He chose a record before he even reached the other end of the room, having his collection memorized already.

Alice nodded excitedly in reply before speaking. "Yes! I love it," she grinned at him as he removed the vinyl from it's case. "I like it better than daddy's music," she said in a hushed tone. "But don't tell him!" she added as if they were conspiring against the marimo.

Sanji managed to chuckle and promise not to tell the marimo that their daughter didn't like his music choices before a familiar tune filled the air. They had been humming the same song only minutes before, after all. Alice clapped her hands in delight and barely managed to sit fairly still until Sanji brought all the ingredients onto the counter next to her. Sanji filled a bowl with water and placed it on Alice's other side, giving her the important task of washing the blueberries while he made the batter.

Cooking breakfast turned into a loud and messy affair as the pair of blondes sang along with the music, Sanji holding his little princess in his arms as he twirled around the kitchen, singing and dancing. The kitchen counters lay covered in flour and sugar, their cheeks covered as well while the table held the thankfully perfect pancakes and orange juice they prepared together. Surprisingly, the marimo didn't seem to be disturbed by their antics and a decision to wake him was made. Before they could do so, however, Sanji made a detour to the bathroom. Alice's face needed some cleaning as did his, most likely. The cook did his best to make them both presentable then made his way to the bedroom with Alice back in his arms. In all honesty, she didn't need to be carried around as much as they did so, but they both enjoyed it; they didn't have long before she would be too big for that.

The marimo still sat on the floor sleeping, his position exactly the same as it had been when Sanji woke up. It looked as if the man couldn't be woken up at all, but the cook knew better. He lowered Alice on the floor and let her do her magic; which included a shout of "Daddy!" and her jumping onto his lap, mindful of the sword that also lay there. She barely managed to throw her arms around his neck before he removed the sword to the side and hugged her back.

"Daddy, we made breakfast!" she exclaimed excitedly, obviously proud of the fact she helped with breakfast. One look at the beaming cook and Zoro could tell that they enjoyed themselves immensely. With a blonde in his arms, Zoro stood up and kissed Sanji good morning before dragging him to the kitchen. It wasn't every day that he got special breakfast, after all.


	5. Chapter 5

Sanji tucked Alice and her stuffed rabbit into the bed that was way too big for the two of them, kissing her forehead as she muttered a good night. She was already dozing off and Sanji left her room as quietly as possible, closing the door behind him. The happy smile stayed on his face as he walked back to the living room, slowly changing into a confused one as he heard one of his Billie Holiday records playing quietly. Zoro was standing in front of the gramophone, his back turned to the cook.

"Zoro?" Sanji asked in a hushed tone; the rarely used Zoro's name, but then again, Zoro rarely played one of his records and the cook knew immediately something good was in store for him.

Zoro glanced over his shoulder to look at the cook before turning around completely and crossing the room to lean on the back of the couch. He said nothing, simply opened his arms with a smile and Sanji crossed the short distance without another word. The marimo's arms pulled him into an embrace as soon as he was within reach. Lips stretching into a soft smile, Sanji locked his arms around the marimo's neck as Zoro nuzzled into the crook of Sanji's neck. They stayed in each other's arms for a while, the soft tunes of Billie Holiday playing in the background. Sanji chuckled lightly as he realized which song it was, finding that "The man I love" was the perfect choice for the moment they shared.

Sanji was held just a bit tighter, Zoro's breath tickling his neck as he hummed along with the song. Even after all the years they had been together, Zoro still managed to surprise the blond with his displays of affection.

"You know," Zoro started softly, sending shivers down Sanji's spine. "Today is exactly one year since we got approved for adopting," he finished and Sanji couldn't help but smile again. They had more bumps on that road even after the approval, but it all seemed trivial with Alice sleeping down the hall. Still, Sanji held Zoro tighter and hummed in reply. It was no surprise, really, Zoro always remembered the things that mattered. As the song faded in a wave of applause, another started and Zoro pushed away from the couch without letting go of Sanji. The blond's hands fell from the back of the marimo's neck and settled on his shoulders.

"Dance with me, cook," Zoro whispered into Sanji's ear and started swaying to the music. His hands loosened just the tiniest bit, just enough to settle comfortably around Sanji's waist as his chin remained perched on the cook's shoulder. Sanji was surprised at that, barely remembering the last time Zoro willingly danced with him. Seeing it was a one in a million opportunity, Sanji followed the marimo's lead, unaware of the blush creeping on his face. Leave it to the marimo to make him act like a blushing virgin. Zoro lead them away from the couch, towards the center of their living room. Quietly, he sang along to the tune and Sanji had to wonder if Zoro was even aware of his romantic side. It wasn't something he displayed often and it had taken Sanji's breath away every time.

The marimo's movements were smooth and perfectly timed; he moved a grace one wouldn't usually associate with Zoro, but Sanji knew for a fact that the big oaf was an amazing dancer. Together, with the marimo in lead, they swayed barefoot on the wooden floor. Zoro's hands lay gently on the small of Sanji's back, one of them caressing over the soft fabric of the cook's shirt. Finally, Zoro removed his chin from Sanji's shoulder and looked into the cook's blue eyes before closing the distance between their lips. With no need to rush anything, Sanji let Zoro lead the kiss to, let him set a pace like that of their dancing; slow and gentle, without any urgency.

As the second song ended, Sanji expected their dance and kiss to end as well, but he was in for another surprise as Zoro changed their pace to fit the new song without breaking the kiss. In fact, he didn't stop kissing the blond until it was of utmost urgency to breathe again. It was as if he were making up for all those times they hadn't been able to kiss, touch and simply enjoy each other since they had Alice in their care. She was worth everything they had to give up on, but it was nice to have a moment of privacy again. Zoro's chin was back on Sanji's shoulder, he started humming again before a sleepy voice interrupted them.

"Papa, can I dance with you too?" Alice asked from the doorway and they both smiled. It was hard to be mad at her when she looked at them like that. Reluctantly, Zoro released Sanji from his hold, but not without pressing a kiss to the blond's temple. Sanji picked the girl up and she wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder like the marimo had been doing before her. As Sanji swayed her in his arms, softly singing into her ear as she was obviously dead tired, Zoro approached them and embraced the cook again, this time from behind. He rested his chin on Sanji's other shoulder, enjoying the cook's singing voice. He moved along with Sanji, holding him close as if he could disappear any moment. Alice extended one of her arms and placed it on Zoro's shoulder, clutching his shirt tight so he wouldn't move from where he stood. "Daddy, sing with papa," she whispered and honestly, who could refuse.

Zoro joined in on the singing, thankful that the cook loved that particular record enough to play it all the time thus giving him the opportunity to memorize all the lyrics. The songs were playing, one after the other; the two sang as Alice dozed off. Finally, the record reached it's end and she was asleep. Still, she didn't let go of either of them. Gently unlatching her arm from his shirt, Zoro sighed in defeat, but smiled at the beaming grin on Sanji's face as the blond realized what that meant.

"Fine, take her to our room."


	6. Chapter 6

Alice was the only girl for the both of them, that was a given, and neither Zoro nor Sanji could imagine a life without the little blonde anymore. That did nothing to amend for the fact they hadn't had a moment alone in months, not to mention how generally non-existent their sex life was. Sanji only noticed how bad it really was when he opened the door to their apartment at an ungodly hour after a long shift at the restaurant and was met with candle light and jazz music playing softly somewhere in the background. He was alarmed for a brief moment before he realized that Zoro must have been beyond frustrated to resort to romance of all things. Sure, the man could be so painfully romantic at times, but it all happened subtly and, most importantly, on accident. Romance on purpose was the last straw before the green haired man snapped.

Sanji removed his shoes and jacket by the door before checking the time then promptly mumbled a curse. It was way past the time he usually came home and Zoro would probably be mad at him. Alice was most likely asleep, though. Sanji was so horribly aware that he did, in fact, fuck up.

With a sense of dread, he entered the living room and found the marimo sleeping peacefully on the couch, suspiciously resembling a giant cat. It brought a smile to Sanji's face before he glanced around to the candles around the room and the dining room table set for a romantic dinner for two. Yes, he screwed up big time. The table looked like he himself had set it.

"Don't frown like that, cook, your eyebrow looks angry." Zoro's voice startled him and Sanji turned in time to see his green haired lover get up from the couch, his face showing none of the anger the blond was expecting. Sanji watched the other walk to him, his arms encircling his waist in a tight hug as Zoro pressed his lips to the cook's temple.

"Come on, I made dinner," Zoro said, his arms still wound tight around the cook. Sanji smiled at that; he was always proud when Zoro cooked something Sanji himself has thought him.

"What did you make?" Sanji asked as Zoro pressed another kiss, this time on his lips, before making his way to the kitchen.

"Sushi. I figured you'd be running late so I made something that didn't have to stay warm," he shrugged and pulled a large plate of sushi and a smaller plate of onigiri. Sanji sat down at the table, noticing everything was already there, including soy sauce and wasabi. The blond felt a surge of happiness wash over him as he noticed, for who knows which time, how much Zoro cared for him. After all, the man hardly seemed like the family type when they started dating. Or even the type to date one person for a longer period of time. Still, he was glad it turned out he was wrong. Even more so with Alice, seeing as she completely broke the big tough guy she called 'daddy'.

"Stop zoning out and eat," Zoro said and Sanji noticed he was indeed zoning out more than usually. Who could blame him when he had the green haired man to admire. "You owe me a date, anyway," the marimo mumbled, but Sanji still heard him and smiled once more.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, marimo," Sanji said with a smirk, but without the usual bite to his words. "We have some catching up to do."

Zoro's lips quirked the tiniest bit at that, but he didn't look up at Sanji. The two ate their very belated dinner in silence, something they deemed impossible since Alice moved in. Again, they loved the little bundle of energy, but that was exactly what she was; a ton of energy. No matter how strong and capable they were, it seemed they could be bested by a five year old girl.

The dinner, as delicious as it was, was also short and Sanji found himself hoisted over a muscled shoulder of an equally muscled man carrying him to the couch. Usually, he would protest and kick the smug bastard's ass, but he couldn't find it in himself to bitch about it for once. Zoro was right, he did deserve a date; they both did.

Sanji's bony ass, as Zoro called it, hit the couch and the green haired man was on him in no time, kissing him for what he was worth. It's been too long since they had a chance for anything of the kind and they both craved the simplest intimate actions such as these.

Zoro's fingers moved swiftly over Sanji's chest, undoing button after button on the pristine white shirt as his lips never left Sanji's. The blond returned everything in kind, kissing his lover with a passion he had to keep under wraps for a while. His hands slid over Zoro's shoulders, tracing down his chest and abdomen until he reached the hem of his shirt, slipping his hands underneath to rid the other of the garment. He threw it somewhere far from the still lit candles and returned to dragging the palms of his hands over every available piece of skin.

Zoro's mouth left his and moved over his cheek and jaw, Sanji heard the green haired man whisper 'I miss you' between kisses as he moved to the neck and towards the collar bone. Sanji gasped, it really had been too long without anything of the kind. Zoro gently pulled Sanji up just enough to take off his shirt and throw it over the back of the couch. The marimo breathed out Sanji's name, his grip tightening just enough for Sanji to know the other did indeed miss him. At least as much as Sanji himself had missed the other.

"Papa, you're home!" a sleepy voice exclaimed from the hall leading to the bedrooms and they both froze. Zoro groaned, but removed himself from Sanji before the girl saw them in a compromising position.

"Princess, what are you doing up?" Sanji asked, unable to actually be mad at the little angel just like he knew Zoro wouldn't be either.

"I heard you came home so I wanted to say hi," she replied, rubbing her eyes. Sanji got up from the couch and picked her up in his arms, seeing Zoro already picked up their shirts and started blowing out the candles. The date was obviously not meant to be.

"And now I'm taking you back to bed," he said sternly, making his way to the girl's room. "You're sleeping in your own bed tonight, princess," he added and she pouted, but didn't say anything in protest. She also let Sanji put her back into bed, kissing her good night before leaving the room. It was surprising how easily she let herself be put to bed, but he'd take what he can get. The mood, however, was ruined.

Zoro was already in their room, stripping to his boxers before sliding into bed. Sanji did the same, avoiding eye contact for fear Zoro might be mad after this. The blond slid into bed as well, turning off the light.

Surprising him once again, Zoro wrapped his arms around Sanji's waist and pulled him close, nuzzling his blond hair in the process.

"I think we need a babysitter," Zoro whispered before kissing the nape of Sanji's neck. The blond couldn't agree more.


	7. Chapter 7

"Don't you love me anymore, daddy?" Alice asked, her voice muffled as half her face remained burrowed into the soft plush of her bunny. Even so, Zoro knew she was pouting, though he was also aware that she was faking it, the little minx.

"You know I do, Bunny," Zoro answered her question, feeling a bit bad about the whole thing, but just a bit. After all, he and the cook deserved a proper date after so many months of almost no time alone. Alice was their precious princess, but it was time to find her a babysitter. She settled into her new life well enough to spend one night without them. Well, Zoro definitely thought so while Sanji couldn't help but worry. Said cook was still at work as Zoro attempted at getting ready while Alice tried guilting him into taking her with them. He, however, wasn't inclined to give in, his patience running thin as he missed the cook.

"Why can't I go out with you and papa then?" she whined, flailing her little legs as she sat on the edge of their bed.

"Because it's a date and, besides, Robin is looking forward to having you over," he said with a firm, yet loving voice. Zoro knew she was a smart kid and that she understood the situation as well as he knew that she liked Robin. Apparently, she was less creepy with kids, which was a good thing. All in all, he didn't understand why Alice was so reluctant about it all. "You like Robin, don't you?"

"I do," she replied with a pout, still displeased with the way she couldn't sway Zoro into taking her with them.

"Then why don't you want to spend time with her?" he asked and watched her pout more.

"Because uncle Franky treats me like a little kid!" she said with what must have been the least threatening glare Zoro had ever seen. He was about to protest that she was, indeed, a kid, but she spoke before he could. "He acts like I'm three, but I'm five already!"

Seeing this was a serious conversation, Zoro restrained from chuckling and moved to the distraught little girl on his bed, kneeling before her. "Well, then I'll have to have a serious talk with him and explain that you're actually a proper lady. Okay?" he asked in the most serious voice he could muster and she looked at him with wide eyes. She immediately sat up straighter, putting her bunny aside and placed her hands into her lap just like Zoro knew Robin did. Slowly, Alice nodded with a determined look on her face.

"Yes, daddy, please talk to him."

Zoro almost burst out laughing at the serious demeanor that should have been possible for a five year old in the first place. Instead he nodded too before getting back up.

"Good, now we have to get dressed because we don't want to be late," he told her and this time she got up from the bed, picked up the stuffed animal and made her way to the door.

"Okay, but this time I pick my own clothes," she told him matter-of-factly before walking through the door. Zoro let himself laugh for a moment before changing his shirt and following her. She, apparently, didn't need long to pick out an orange dress with a blue cotton jacket and red Converse All Star sneakers they had to buy for her when she saw Zoro getting the same ones. As far as he was concerned, her ensemble looked fine and he helped her get dressed -rather fast, if he say so himself- finishing with tying the tiny laces on her shoes.

"There and we have just enough time to get you to Robin's," Zoro said triumphantly as he looked over his daughter. His hairdressing skills weren't as good as Sanji's so he settled for a pony tail for the little blond before she grabbed her stuffed animal and he packed a bag for the night. Alice helped pick out the outfit for the day after, neither seeing a fault in their choice though Zoro did spare a moment's thought to whether Sanji would be thrilled. Well, not like it mattered anyway.

Together, they left their home and Zoro was quick to buckled his daughter into her car seat before sitting behind the wheel.

"Daddy, are we gonna get lost again?" Alice asked from the backseat and Zoro narrowed his eyes. The cook was rubbing off on her.

"No, Bunny, we're not. I know where I'm going," he replied and started the car.

It was only fifteen minutes later that he pulled over into Robin and Franky's driveway. Zoro would lie if he said he wasn't at least a bit surprised he made it there on the first try. Of course, the cook would never hear of it. No one knew he was well aware of his own lack of navigational skills and as far as he was concerned, they didn't have to know.

He was quick to exit the car and go around to the back seat to take Alice out while Robin emerged from the house with a smile. Zoro unbuckled Alice's seatbelt and took her into his arms before grabbing the little bag with her things. Robin greeted them with a friendly smile and Alice immediately showed her wish to be taken into the raven head's arms. Zoro did as she pleased before finally saying his hello to Robin.

"Where's Franky?" he asked as Robin led the way inside.

"In his study, working on something," she replied before turning her attention to Alice. "Are you hungry, darling?"

"Only if you have cookies!" the little blond replied, eliciting a smile from Zoro as Robin took her to the kitchen and he made his way down the hall to find Franky. It wasn't a long search, thankfully, and Zoro found his friend staring at his laptop with undivided attention.

"You're getting too old for this," he said jokingly and watched as Franky jumped in his seat before turning to the door. He smile when he saw Zoro, but narrowed his eyes in an attempt of a glare.

"I'm still young, thank you very much," he said. "Ass."

Zoro simply laughed before taking a seat in an empty chair. "So, you're going on a date?" Franky asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively while his mouth stretched into a lecherous grin. Zoro rolled his eyes shortly before replying.

"Yeah, yeah," he said with a smile, figuring it would be absolutely useless to pretend Franky's thoughts weren't hitting the mark. "And I gotta leave in like five minutes, but I promised Alice I'd talk to you," he said with a grin, enjoying the look of absolute confusion on Franky's face.

"Talk to me about what?"

Fighting the laughter, Zoro managed to pull a serious face. "She told me you treat her like a three year old and that's just wrong," he said, fighting his laughter even more as the confused frown deepened. "She's five, you know, so you have to treat her as a real lady now," he added and he couldn't fight it anymore, he started laughing and Franky did the same as he finally realized.

"Sure, bro, I'll do that," Franky said. "Hey, can I ask you something?" he added, his face turning serious again. Zoro simply nodded.

"Could we babysit for Alice a few more times like this?" he asked and Zoro's eyes widened in surprise, but he could already see the possibilities for alone time with the cook.

"Sure, she likes it here," Zoro replied before asking. "How come?"

"Well, we've been thinking of having a kid," Franky said with a fond smile. "We'd like to see if we can manage."

Zoro nodded, remembering how he and Sanji had no idea what they were doing the first few days and they were lucky enough to have a five year old instead of a baby that needs more special care.

"Yeah, no problem," Zoro added, this time fighting a smile. "I'll talk to Sanji, he'll be thrilled."

Franky nodded with relief on his face as Zoro glanced at his watch, shooting out of his chair the moment he noticed the time. "Shit, I gotta go 'cause Sanji's gonna kill me if I'm late," Zoro said with a panicked tone in his voice. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said before rushing to the kitchen to give Alice a quick kiss and instructing her to behave. She just smiled with a mouthful of cookies before waving him off. He smiled back as he ran through the door and to his car, trying hard to contain his excitement at the prospect of more dates in the near future.

**Author's Note:**

> The song is 'Love me or leave me' by Billie Holiday


End file.
